Hazy Declarations
by Shipperony10
Summary: A short series of times when both Tony and Pepper confessed rather important...stuff...while not completely conscious. Sappy Pepperony!
1. Sleep and Honesty: Tony

**Hazy Declarations**

Disclaimer: I own the movies, the t-shirts, the magazines, and the bobble heads because I bought them with MY money. But the characters are sadly not mine.

AN: Hitting a bit of writers block with _Risks and Consequences_. I got stuck on ONE word, and that messed up my entire flow. Maybe I will message some of you guys for assistance. But until I can escape this dilemma, here are five little confessions from Tony and Pepper. Some long some short. All cute and sappy! I love sappy! Sorry for any mistakes.

* * *

I walk through the glass door with the objective of giving him hell for not signing the latest set of contracts from Fujikawa. But quickly my resolve falters when I catch a glimpse of his ruffled hair peeking from the gap between his two smart screens.

His back is sure to bother him tomorrow.

Sleep has claimed him and has left him with his back arched awkwardly and his head firmly planted on his desk. His hands encircle his head, but it surprises me that he does not use them as pillows. He is a man that prefers comfort and appearance…at least that is what he leads the world to believe. So I smile to myself as I consider myself fortunate enough to see him for who he really is.

Quietly I walk towards the leather couch where a small throw blanket sits neatly folded. I make my way to him, almost in a tip-toe because I do not want the sound of my stilettos to rouse him from his peaceful slumber, and I drape the cover over him. This is a big space, and no amount of temperature control can quite warm the entire workshop. It simply is not retrofitted for sleeping down here.

My next intention is to walk out of the workshop and leave him be, but intention only goes so far before you actually have to do. And do I do not. Instead, I opt for smoothing his messy hair with my fingers. I hope he does not stir because how uncomfortable would that be. We have been getting closer ever since he was found, but I hate to admit we are not that close. Not yet anyway.

He does move as he scoots closer into my touch. So I hold my breath a little as I comb through his hair gently and examine his features. He looks nothing like the man that he carries around awake. He is not detached and sarcastic but completely trusting and honest. His face actually possesses certain softness. One that I admit would love to caress.

I am not sure if the feelings I get around him now are new, or if they have simply bubbled to the surface because of who he has become. Perhaps I was afraid of who he used to be. Selfish. Womanizing. Self-destructive. He has made a drastic change in his life though, and I could not be more proud. Well, I think deep down I have always admired him, because despite his old habits he is a great man with immense vision. I guess I have always been proud of him.

"Potts?" His whisper brings me out of wherever I just was.

I clear my throat before I try to retreat my hand slowly from his hair. "Sorry if I woke you."

He must sense my discomfort, and he chooses to pick at it…because that is what he does. "I had no idea that I included this into the job description." He smiles sleepily with his eyes still closed.

No response flows from my mouth. Partly because I am embarrassed and partly because I am amazed by the handsome way his lips twitch up into a crooked smile.

The way I see it, there are two choices: I can either mumble out an excuse for my transgression of sorts, or I can banter back to ease the tension. I choose the latter. "Don't get used to it; you don't pay me enough to do this regularly." I release my breath slowly so he cannot pick up on my anxiety.

With the same small smile he shakes his head. "I can change that."

While he gets the words out I bring my hand back to join me at my side. "You can't afford me."

"Hmm…or I can just fire you so I won't have to pay you to do it."

I smile softly at his relaxed form. "What are you proposing?" I tease.

"Not proposing." He mumbles and shrugs nonchalantly. "Yet."

My smile falls as I hear him. I know he does not mean anything he just said. I will chalk it up to a lapse in reason due to his sleepy haze. Nothing more. "Ok, Tony." I take the liberty to rub his back over the blanket almost in maternal fashion. "Good night."

I turn to let the sleep drown him again. I am almost fully out of the workshop when I hear him whisper, "…love you, Pep". And with a sigh he slips back into his dreamland.

You can imagine how difficult it is for anyone to ignore such words coming from a person that means the world to you. It is even more challenging when they are uttered by _him_ with such sincerity and no inhibitions.

"Dim the lights, Jarvis." I whisper to the AI as I walk out and up the flight of stairs.

What will come from this I do not know, but I smile with hopes that Tony remembers this when he regains consciousness tomorrow morning.

**...**

**Ugh, I almost "awww"ed myself at Tony's little confession. **

**I'm telling you guys, I love sappy. But then again, who doesn't?**

**See you guys soon with the next little piece.**


	2. Needing You: Pepper

Disclaimer: Of course they're not mine.

AN: Thanks to all who are still following me and are still reading my work. Huge thanks to those who are not following, but still take a chance on reading my work! Here you go guys...enjoy! Sorry for any mistakes.

* * *

Warmness radiates from the top of my hand to the center of my chest.

It does not take long for me to figure out that the soft warmth is coming from Pepper's own hand.

It has been one of the longest days of my life.

Not that I am complaining of course. At least I know I am alive. I came damn near close to dying on that rooftop today. Obi certainly got the short end of that stick. But then again, he chose it for himself the day he decided to betray me and threaten Pepper's life.

I let out a sigh of relief as I turn my head slightly to look at her sleeping form beside me. She sits so professionally. I will have to share that observation with her. Maybe it will encourage her to loosen up every now and then. Especially around me. Especially around _only_ me.

Her legs are crossed and her heels are still on her feet. The fact that she is sitting…uncomfortably might I add…in her business outfit leads me to assume she has not left my bedside at all. I am not sure if I should feel thankful or upset that she is ignoring her own well-being for mine.

She does not realize the danger she was in earlier. Obadiah would have killed her without a second thought. We were both very fortunate that I arrived when I did to deflect his attention from her and onto me. I cannot fathom the idea of...my...Pepper Potts being hurt because of me.

I cannot help but smile as I look down at our hands. Her slender one looks healthy and strong as it grips my rough and discolored one. I hope that my pallor fades to normal once she opens her eyes. No need to have her worry about me anymore than she already has.

I sigh again before I close my eyes to let sleep take me under. I need the rest, and knowing that she is by my side lets me breathe easier.

"Please... Tony..."

I am nearly dreaming, so much so that when I hear her voice I cannot tell if I am awake or not, but I immediately work to lift my heavy eye lids.

"Don't die."

It takes a few seconds for me to fully come to, and when I do I see her writhe in her sleep. Her eyes are shut tight, and sweat beads are visible on her forehead. Her grip tightens.

A wave of worry hits me as I continue to listen to her plead in her sleep. Instinctively I turn my hand in hers so I can comfort her. I want to do everything I can to ease her worry and stress. Especially since I am often the cause of both.

"Don't die on me Tony." She sobs quietly.

Carefully I brace myself to turn my body towards her. Quickly I am painfully aware of the full extent of my injuries. But I do not care. The things I would not do for this woman are few...if any.

I manage to shift enough to touch her. And I do. Gently I stroke her cheek to avoid startling her.

"I'm right here Pep." I whisper. Her eyes soften and her forehead relaxes at the sound of my voice. At least I hope that is what pacifies her.

Her fingers tighten around mine as she leans into my hand on her face. "Don't die."

"I won't." I shake my head at her even though she sleeps. My heart aches for her. I am not used to this feeling. The pain I feel inside at seeing her so upset is relatively unfamiliar. I just want to wrap myself around her and make her believe that I will always be alright. And by her side.

"Promise..." she knits her brows at me, but at least she has stopped fidgeting.

Heaven itself can not take me away from this woman. So I nod with watery eyes at her. "I promise, Pep." I swallow a lump in my throat. "You're stuck with me forever."

I observe her for a while longer. I want to make sure she is back to sleeping without the worry in her heart. I am satisfied with her peaceful features as her breathing steadies. And with one final caress of her cheek, I move back into my sleeping position on the hospital bed.

"There's...no one else...I need..." Her words are a whisper, but I hear them clearly. I open my eyes once again and smile like a pathetic lovesick teen at the ceiling.

I bring her hand up to my lips and I kiss her knuckles softly.

Finally...she confesses what I hoped was true. The best thing about all of this is: I do not need anyone else but her.

**...**

** Tony and Pepper need more Tony and Pepper scenes in the movieverse! Who's with me? I mean can you all imagine how happy the world would be if we got to see this scene play out after Pepper blows the roof and she finds him with his arc flickering? Yeah...super ecstatic the world would be.**


	3. Alcohol and Secrets: Tony

Disclaimer: Nope.

AN: You guys are great! Thanks for the support. I am thoroughly enjoying my conversations with some of you guys. Thank you for that! Sorry for any mistakes.

* * *

The music is so loud I cannot hear myself think, and the buzzing chatter from the attendees only makes it worse.

Frustratingly I scroll through my Blackberry again to read the text message one more time. My eyes try to adjust to the brightness of the screen in the dark hallway.

I hate these parties.

His text message tells me that he needs help getting up. My guess, probably correct, is he fell somewhere in his drunken state and now he cannot get back on his feet. It is not the first time, and it will probably not be the last.

Normally I have no trouble locating him after he has had one too many drinks, he is quite the creature of habit. But today, he is not in his workshop on that couch he loves so much. Which is making my life a bit more complicated. I will have to thank him for that later…when he is painfully sober…with a raging headache.

_'Peppre. Need hekp Got hot. I needef to coool off.'_ His text makes him lose credibility with the geniuses of the world.

I walk towards the next room to inspect its balcony. Perhaps he is getting some fresh air. The room is dark and devoid of his presence. No luck yet again and my patience is wearing thin. So many more rooms to go through.

I am afraid my worry might start to surface.

What if he is hurt?

Great…surfaced it has.

I breathe deeply to placate my thoughts. This man will be the death of me, I am sure of it. I close the door behind me and turn just in time to collide with Rhodey. He startles me.

"Rhodey!" I tuck my hair behind my ears and breathe. "You frightened me."

His apologetic smile is visible even in the darkened corridor. "Sorry." He lifts his hands up in the air to surrender. "Hey have you seen Tony? I can't find him and I wanted to give him this before I left." In his hands he holds a small rectangular gift.

"Um…" I clear my throat. "No. I'm actually looking for him too. He sent me a text half an hour ago. I think he might have fallen, but I can't find him anywhere." I shrug. "I'm beginning to worry."

Rhodey shakes his head incredulously. "I'll help you look for him."

I nod thankfully as I lead the way.

It does not take long for us to decide to split up. Together we are having no luck. We bump into the occasional acquaintance and smile, but they pay no mind. They are just as hammered as Tony probably is. "Call me if you find him." Rhodey calls out before he disappears through one of the exits.

My hand holds tight onto the Blackberry in case Tony texts again (he does not) as I walk out into his own private balcony. He is not there either. I look out at the Pacific Ocean as the moonlight dances on the surface.

I scan the water for no reason in particular before I move my gaze towards the main floor's outdoor entertainment area. I have to squint to look out so far from where I stand, but I catch a glimpse of that familiar blue light. Quickly I walk over to that side of the balcony to get a closer look, though it is not much help. It takes my eyes some time to focus, but my heart skips a beat and I nod in agreement with my brain when it tells me that it is him.

My fingers fumble for the keys on my phone at first, but I skillfully dial Rhodey's number. "Rhodey…pool area…now!"

I was wrong earlier…this man will be the death of himself.

I hope he is alright. Please let him be ok.

I make my way to them as quickly as I can without running into people, losing my footing, or breaking an ankle. It is becoming difficult to do any of the above, especially while running with heels.

A million doors and two elevators later, I walk out into the large area. My breath catches in my throat as I see Rhodey shaking Tony awake. "How bad is he?" I yell before I reach them.

Rhodey lifts his head to look up at me. "He took a nasty spill." He holds his head in his hands. "He's one lucky son of a bitch, though."

I close my eyes and drop down beside them next to the pool's edge. So many things race through my head as I look down at Tony's still form.

He could have fallen in the pool. He could have hit his head on the step rails. He could have died. What an idiot. What a selfish moron. He does everything for his own satisfaction, without ever thinking about how his actions might affect those around him. Those who care for him the most.

My anger subsides as I touch his cold cheek. "Tony." I whisper to him, but get no response.

Rhodey pats the other cheek to get a reaction. "Wake up, man." He shakes him enough, but not too roughly. "This is not what I had in mind when you said we would party until we dropped for your birthday."

I chuckle a little through the worry at Rhodey's words. "Tony! Get up!" I shake him a little more assertively. "If you don't get up right now I will call Coulson so he can zap you with his Taser." I tease with hopes that he will hear me.

"Come on man!" Rhodey adds.

We both exhale a sigh of relief when we hear Tony groan. "Al-right." He slurs. "I'm up, I'm up. Stop…yelling." He stiffens with what I assume is pain as he attempts to sit up. Immediately his hand flies to his head. "My head…what the hell…what" He questions incoherently.

"Welcome back, man. You scared the shit out of us." Rhodey pats him on the shoulder. "Think you can sit up?" He asks as he gently pushes on his back. Tony nods hazily.

Tony's brows scrunch up as he glares at his surroundings. "Hey…not cool…some asshole spilled his drink man." He slurs again as he realizes his feet are wet.

I suppress the laugh, mostly because I worry he hit his head too hard, but in small part because I want to be even slightly angry at him for this latest charade of his.

Rhodey shakes his head with a sympathetic smile. "Dude, your feet are in the pool. Nobody d ropped their drink." He chuckles silently. "Do you remember what happened?" He examines his half-open eyes as Tony shakes his head.

"Pepper…I texted Pepper." He shuts his eyes tightly. "Where's she?" He burps in mid question.

James' eyes open wide and his brows hit his forehead as he looks at me for an answer. Almost pleading that I go easy on his friend. "Right here." My voice is colder than I expect.

Tony cringes. Even drunk he knows when I am upset. "Don't be mad Pepper." He drags out the last syllable in my nickname.

I want to hold back on the lecture until he is cognizant, but his idiotic smirk sends me over the edge. So I let him have it then and there. "Do you have any idea what could have happened to you! You could have drowned! You could have split your skull open." I breathe rapidly to steady my nerves as he flinches again and covers his ear closest to me with his shoulder.

He makes me feel sorry for lashing out at him. Ugh…he drives me insane. I exhale loudly as I touch his cheek. "You could have died, Tony." I shake my head at him and his grin fades a little as he looks at me. His buzz still has a grip on him as he hiccups. "I couldn't find you. What if something had happened and I couldn't reach you in time?" I look deep into his drowsy brown eyes. Rhodey just fidgets awkwardly.

"I'm IronMan." Tony smiles again. "Nothing will happen to me." He grins in a way that makes me want to slap it off his face. Sometimes he can be so dense.

Rhodey shakes his head.

I roll my eyes at him and tilt my head back in disbelief. I pray to the stars that they may grant me strength to carry on with Anthony Stark. I know I cannot leave him, ever. We are far too intertwined now for me to ever part ways from him, but I am definitely going to need all the help I can get. "Do you need my help?" I look at Rhodey.

He shakes his head. "Nah. I got him. I'll just fireman lift his ass towards the nearest shower." He smiles at me.

Thankfully Rhodey is as close to Tony as I am. He knows how to deal with him, and he does not judge him too harshly. I am glad I can always count on him for help.

Thank you stars.

I nod before I stand up. "Thanks Rhodey. I'll go ready his bed." He nods at me before he gets to his feet.

Carefully he pulls Tony up. "Don't barf on me man. I'm warning you." He talks to him as he drapes him over his shoulder. I walk away from them, but slowly in case James needs me.

I can hear the one-sided conversation and Tony's grunts from a distance. We walk into the roaring mansion and cut a path towards quieter halls and the closest elevator.

"She's mad huh." Tony fumbles for words as he hangs over his friend's shoulder.

"A bit. You scared her man. She thought you were dead." I hear Rhodey respond.

Tony hiccups again. "She…worries…too much." He pouts. "She's gonna hate me tomorrow man."

"Nah. She's going to lecture you, yeah, but she won't hate you." Rhodey grunts as he rounds a corner and readjusts his hold on Tony.

"I hope not…I hope she doesent hate me." He mumbles words together and goes quiet for a few seconds. "Hey…Rhodey. Don't…don't tell her nothing I tell you." I laugh quietly at his grammar…or lack thereof.

"What man?"

"I like it when she lect….lectures me." I can almost picture the stupid grin on his face. "She's hot when….when she's mad at me." I really want to smack it off him, but I suddenly feel my cheeks grow hot. I believe I am blushing at his comment. Damn him.

"Oh man." Rhodey chuckles. "You've got it bad."

I hear a slap as Tony pats Rhodey on his back. Or at least I hope it is his back. "Don…don't tell her."

"I won't buddy." Rhodey reassures him.

"She's my hot…best friend." He groans in pain. I know his head is probably pounding by now from the combination of alcohol and blood rushing to his head.

Rhodey slows his steps, I can tell. He is probably doing it to buy them some time before they catch up to me. "Hey I thought I was your best friend." He teases.

Tony grunts. "Yeah. You are." He burps. "But she's…she's…I'm gonna maaaaake her my girlfriend." He quiets Rhodey with an audible shhh.

My heart races at his words. However influenced they are by his level of inebriation, they must hold some truth. I hear that drunks make the best honest people. I hope that applies to this jerk. I laugh quietly.

Rhodey laughs at his semi-conscious best friend as well. "Alright buddy. Good luck."

They catch up to me as I press the button to the elevator. It dings as I smile at Rhodey. "Thanks." I shrug to apologize for the trouble.

"No problem, Pepper." He responds as we all board the elevator.

The doors close and we are cut off from the people in attendance and the music that still blares throughout the mansion. I sigh thankfully as we ascend towards Tony's level.

I move to stand beside Rhodey and close to Tony so I can study him. Softly I smooth his sweat soaked hair and run my hands over his back. He is out cold by now, his snores help me decide that, but I will not rest until I know he is warm and in his bed.

I shake my head at the night's events.

Tomorrow is a new day.

I lean back on the elevator wall and close my own eyes while we ride up.

The sound signals our arrival, and just as we are about to step out, Tony groans. "Mmmy girlfriend."

Both Rhodey and I look at each other awkwardly before we smile and suppress our chuckles.

This man will be the death of us all.

**…**

**Ahhh. A drunken Tony reveals a little…turn on and plan for him and Pepper? That would be fun to see him act out. And how hilarious would it be to see Rhodey totally 'manhandle' Tony? I would pay some money to see that in the next Avengers film. Joss if you're reading…hint hint. Hope you all enjoyed this little humorous tidbit.**


	4. It Happened In Italy: Pepper

Disclaimer: No no no.

AN: Thank you guys for the follows and reviews. If I have not responded I do apologize. Give me a few days. Also, to my guest reviewer Nancy...wish you would sign in so I could reply to your reviews. Hehe. Thanks for the words of encouragement. You guys rock. Enjoy. Sorry for any mistakes or if I butchered the Italian language.

* * *

I cannot believe that I managed to convince Pepper Potts to come on vacation with me.

Actually, it was not an easy feat. She kicked and screamed, almost literally, as I whined about it.

Eventually I had to choose a more diplomatic approach.

My reasoning went something along the lines of needing to unwind after everything we both had been through. I looked right into her eyes when I mentioned that I had not had a decent relaxing vacation since Afghanistan and since I became Iron Man. Her eyes had softened when she heard that. I figured I had her close to agreeing so I added the wear and tear the events in Monaco had on my body…and her peace of mind.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, but she finally nodded with a small smile.

Small but a very much needed victory for me.

I meant every word, but a large part of me had organized the getaway mostly to be alone with her. Especially given my current state of health. No one except Ivan knew about the Palladium poisoning. I want to tell her.

Maybe this trip is when I finally do.

Harry's Bar had actually been her idea. We had spent the first couple of days near the hotel acclimating to the time zone, eating and drinking mostly from the room service menu. But today Ms. Potts decided she had slept off the jetlag enough to enjoy Venice. Her professional skills helped with booking tours and scenic drives for the next week, but today she felt like walking the friendly streets and drinking.

She got no argument from me. I love drinking. And I guess a guy could get used to walking around with a beautiful woman by his side.

We did walk. For hours actually. We talked about an idea she had for reactor technology, her childhood, and her unwavering devotion to my new found mission in life . I smiled often and even found myself being happy. Happier than I had been in a long time. It was all a welcomed change from the hectic chaos I had thrust us both into back home.

I led her in and out of shops and bakeries with my hand on the small of her back. She would tense up at first, but I could tell she did not mind it much.

The truth was we were both enjoying the nearness and casual setting of it all.

So here we are now sitting in a corner booth at Harry's Bar, half-way around the world, completely alone. Um…except for the hundreds of patrons around us, but we might as well be alone, because we do not hear or see anyone else.

Her red hair rests in waves on her shoulders, and her eyes look darker than normal. I cannot be sure if that is due to the lighting in here, or because we have been drinking for a few hours now. It makes no difference though because she looks gorgeous.

Wow if she could hear the sap that formulates in my brain she would be shocked.

She smiles a drowsy smile when I call the waiter over with my hand in the air.

"I don't know if I want another, Tony." She looks down at the table almost embarrassed.

I dismiss her concern with a wave of my hand. "Nonsense. I think we could go for a few more." I grin. "Besides, we can sleep in all we want…that's the beauty of a vacation."

Her hair falls of her shoulders when she shakes her head adamantly. "You don't sleep on vacations." She moved in closer to whisper over the mellow Italian music that played in the bar. "Not unless you are sharing a bed with someone."

My eyebrows must have met my hairline because she blushes immediately.

I want to have a little fun making her squirm. "I offered." I shrug, Pepper slaps my arm. "You wanted two beds. In two different rooms." I shake my head with disappointment. "I was surprised you agreed to adjoining rooms."

"Anyway…" She rolled her eyes. "We have so much to see to waste time sleeping."

The waiter stops at our table and smiles at Pepper. "Che cosa posso fare per te bella signora?"

One of the many things I did know about Pepper was that she spoke perfect French. Her Italian however, was a bit rusty. Which is why she smiles awkwardly at the young man waiting for me to take initiative.

"La mia bella signora avrà un altro bicchiere di vino." I clear my throat and grin smugly at the kid. He really is years younger than both of us, but I cannot help but feel a little annoyed with him. And possessive over Pepper. "E avrò un altro scotch."

Pepper looks at me, impressed I am sure.

His eyes widen and his cheeks darken in a reddish hue. "Mi dispiace signore." He stammers. "Lo porter le vostre bevande."

"Grazie mille." I tell him before I grin at Pepper.

She sits stunned as she shakes her head with a smile. "That was longer than the first few times we asked for drinks." She eyes me waiting for an explanation.

I am not quite sure I want to sit there and waste time explaining myself. So I dismiss her stare with a simple shrug of my shoulders and a nice grin for her.

Pepper stares at me a while longer with her chin resting on her knuckles. I know she is studying me in this new light. Back home, we both walk around with walls up for protection and for decorum. Yes, even me the ever sarcastic flirtatious man that I am hides plenty from her. But not tonight. Not thousands of miles from our careers. Both of us seem to be letting those wall fall.

Her red hair moves as she shakes her head from side to side. Her eyes are glossy from the wine. "You never seize to amaze me, Tony." She smiles at me.

I straighten up and ease closer to her. "Is that so?" I ask with as much sultriness as I can.

Red tints her cheeks as she looks down at my hands on the table. "I'm glad we came on this vacation." She struggles to get out, though I am not sure if it is entirely because of the wine.

At this moment, I can state without a doubt, that I have never wanted to kiss anyone else the way that I want to kiss her. And I am so close to her that I can smell a combination of wine and perfume. It is intoxicating.

We both lean in a little bit, I think we both know what we want. Our eyes are both closing, but the moment is short-lived when the waiter walks back with our drinks.

Pepper pulls away immediately with a reddened look on her face.

I sigh and move back into my place slowly.

Now I am more than just a little annoyed with him. I want to smack him in the back of his head. But I do not.

Instead, we both smile regretfully and continue to drink.

Time moves forward and I am not sure how many more drinks we consume. Judging by the way my head swims and my vision struggles to adjust I will say…a lot more drinks. Pepper is just a happy mess. Her eyes are droopy, but her smile is as bright and as wide as always.

I laugh when the bartender comes over to our table and tells us in Italian that we should walk under real stars instead of attempting to see some circle around our heads. I thank him with a slur of words, but my generous tip should drive my point across.

"Les go Pep." I laugh a bit more.

Her balance is completely gone, and I have to assist her as she stands uneasily against a nearby wall. "Too many drinks." She chuckles with eyes closed.

It takes us some time, but soon we stumble out of the nice bar and into the night with our arms around each other's waists.

The streets are far more lonely than when we walked in to the bar. I assume the residents and other tourists have all retired for the night. It _is _past four in the morning. We probably should not be awake either. I am sure we have a busy schedule. Pepper probably booked us for…whatever she thought was fun. I know she told me, but I forgot.

After some blocks of holding each other up, the activity has caught up with me. I feel a bit winded and my legs are shaky. We spot a bench nearby and make our way towards it before we both plop ourselves on it…rather hard…my ass hurts now.

I bend forward at the waist to breathe. "It's so nice here. Isn't it nice here, Pep?"

Her glossy eyes look back at me and she nods. "I'm happy we came." She mumbles.

For some time we sit here. Just looking up at the sky or observing the random couple that walks by hand in hand.

A sudden chill envelops us both and I scoot closer to Pepper's side. She looks at me out of the corner of her eye and smiles. I gather the courage to make my next move, and I am rewarded by a blush from her when my arm drapes around her shoulders.

We scoot in closer again, and soon Pepper's head is resting in the crook of my arm. "I don't know where we are." I chuckle a bit when it finally dawns on me that neither of us paid any attention to direction when we walked out of the bar.

Pepper laughs softly. "Uh-oh. I guess we have to sleep out here tonight." She shrugs slowly. "Use your phone." She states rather condescendingly. I just wave her off and dig for my phone.

"Um…" I start off slowly as I pat every one of my pockets. "I don't...I can't find…where's my phone?" I splutter.

And just like that Pepper stands albeit unsteadily. "You lost it?!"

I cannot respond before I see her arms flail wildly for balance. My eyes spot her heel catch a crack between a couple of cobblestones.

Now, had I been sober enough I am sure I would have caught her in time. But I am quickly reminded how slow reflexes get when you have a few too many glasses of scotch coursing through your bloodstream.

Soon she sits with her behind firmly planted on the ground, and her heel clad foot stretched awkwardly as it stays caught between the stones. A yelp escapes her as I finally kneel in front of her. I say finally because it feels like five minutes have elapsed before I can actually assist her. I say assist her because I did not catch her. Obviously. Scotch one. Drunk Tony zero.

"You ok?" I ask her as I rub her shoulder with my palm. "…anything hurt?" I must say I feel a bit more sober. I guess my concern for her safety has stunned the hazy out of me. She nods but quickly shakes her head at me with closed eyes. "Which is it?" Not that sober. I seem to forget that I asked her two questions.

"Ok." She exhales. "My ankle hurts."

Carefully I slide her foot out of her Louboutins. I try desperately to pull the heel out, but it is really in there and it will not budge. I shake my head. I return my attention to her ankle and examine it. "Looks fine." I squeeze it tenderly. "Not broken. Probably a sprain."

A deep sigh escapes me and suddenly Pepper is crying softly. I fear the worse so I touch her face with a quizzical look on my face. "I'm sorry." She mumbles through the tears. "I ruined our trip. I won't be able to walk. Everything is ruined."

"What?" I ask incredulously. "Pep…" I shake my head and force her to look at me. "You're fine. We're ok. We can wrap it. No problem."

"Leave me in my room. You go have fun." She continues almost as if she did not register what I said.

I smile at her, but I really just want to laugh. Her pouty face looks almost child-like. "Pep…you're alright. We'll have fun. Trust me. Vacation's not over." I stroke her cheek one more time before I help her get to her feet. She can hardly set her weight on both legs so I decide to drape her arm around my shoulders for support. Her tears are still fresh on her face when I look sideways at her with a smile. We make the short walk back to the bench and I let her sit down, slower than the first time we sat. "Good?"

"I guess." She shrugs as she wipes at her tear tracks. "Sorry." I think she is apologizing for crying, but I am not entirely sure.

"No worries." I smile once more before I drop my suit jacket over her shoulders. The fresh air is getting much more crisp. Especially now that the scotch is wearing off. She must be feeling the coolness through the material of her dress.

I try to adjust the jacket on her when suddenly she tugs at my dangling tie and pulls me in. I am left with little to no time to react (there goes the reflex thing again) before I am only centimeters from her lips. "I love you, Tony. I'm not just saying that because I'm drunk ok." I know she is…and she is at least much more drunk than I am. I nod to appease her. She continues in spite of that. "I love you more than anyone else in my life. You're my best friend, Tony." I swallow a little because all I want to do is kiss her, but I do not want to take advantage of her state of mind. "Am I your best friend, Tony?" She asks almost concerned.

A small breeze blows through her red locks and I take a deep breath. Her face looks so inviting…especially this close. I shake my head, and her face falls a little while she loosens her grip on my poor tie. "Rhodey would be jealous if I said yes." I grin and wink at her. "You are my favorite person ever, though. I promise."

Her face lights up at my confession and she once again pulls at my tie. This time I have no time. Our lips crash hard against each other and we are drowning in an earth-shattering kiss. It feels amazing and she tastes of grapes, but something in the back of my head tells me I should break this up. So I do but I flash her the best grin I can.

Slowly her swollen lips turn up in a soft smile. We say nothing more as I situate myself beside her and envelope her in my arm. Her head falls on my shoulder, and I cannot help but let my chin rest atop her red hair.

"Hey Pep I have something to tell you…about the reactor…" I try to start the conversation about the Palladium, but it falls on deaf ears. She has fallen asleep on me. That is probably for the best…I do not think telling her while we are both intoxicated is the best thing to do. Maybe tomorrow.

I let out a long sigh.

If the location were different, I am sure we would never consider staying out this late on a deserted street…let alone sleep outside. But I feel no sense of danger being with her under the sky like this. I feel nothing but a quiet calm and a sense of hope for things to come. Because whether she denies or forgets this happened, I will spend every second of the rest of my days reminding her.

"Buona notte, Pepper."

**...**

**Oh a kiss! In Italy! Romantic right? I would think so if I were Pepper... drunk or not. Anyway, do you guys think Tony told her about his arc reactor? Just curious. Also, I might be nearing the end here so get ready for even more Pepperony fluff.**


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